Coupling



UnitedStates Patent C 3,179,450 COUPLING Florian B. Becker, Hopkinton, Iowa `Filed Aug. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 133,669 Claims. (Ci. 287-53) This invention relates to a coupling means and more particularly to a lockable quick release universal coupling for use between the power takeoff of a farm tractor and a mechanized implement.

Substantially all tractors have a power take-olf splined shaft with a circumferential groove. The implement or device to receive the power has an internally splined sleeve or collar slidably .mounted around the power take-olf shaft. Obviously two -serious problems are encountered. Firstly, some means must be provided `to prevent the accidental detachment of the sleeve or collar from the power take-ott shaft. Herebefore the usualmeans has been a bolt, set screw or like, and which requires time and tools to effect the detachment or securing phases. Secondly, different tractor take-olf shafts have differences in the number of splines. Some such shafts have six splines, while others have more splines, and perhaps one of the most common has twenty-one splines. It is for this reason that a power receiving collar or like of a given implement will not t more than one type of tractor takeotf shaft;

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a coupling that may be easily and quickly and without tools detached from or attached to the splined shaft of the power take-ott of a tractor.

A further object of this invention is to provide a power receiving socket `for use on the power take-off shafts of tractors that will successfully tit power take-olic shafts having different numbers of splines. j

A still further object of this invention is, to provide a coupling that may be manipulated by the use ofonly one hand.

`till further objects of my invention are to provide a power coupling that is economical in manufacture, durable in use, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled inthe art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the Various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, speciticallypointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

.,FIG. 1 is a side view of my power coupling with sections cut away to more fully illustrate its construction. v"

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional View `of the device taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l. l j FIG. 3 is a top plan view of apower take-off shaft having six splines.

FIG. 4 is `a cross sectional View of my coupling engaging a power taire-oit shaft having twenty-four splines.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional View of my device on a six splined power take-oft shaft and is taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1, and j FIG. 6 shows the device on a twenty-one splined power take-off shaft.

In these drawings I have used the numeral 1t) to generally designate an ordinary tractor power take-off shaft having six evenly spaced apart splines. The numeral 11 designates an ordinary tractor power take-off shaft having twenty-four evenly spaced apart splines.

All such power take-olfv shafts have a circumferential l groove 12 some distance from their free ends as shown in FIG. 3.

My cylindrical power receiving unit is generally designated by the numeral 13 and the two rearwardly extending arm portions 14 and 15 may extend to and become a part of a universal joint for connecting the same to the 3,179,115@ Patented Apr. 2Q, 1965 ICG power receiving shaft of the implement or like equipment'. The two arm portions 14 and 15 are rigidly connected to a collar, sleeve 13, cylinder or like 16. On the inner side of this member 16, I have three equally spaced apart pair of splines. The numerals 17 and 19 designate the two spaced apart splines that go to maire up each pair of splines, as shown in FIG. 2. Each pair of splines 17 and 19 have collectively a combined lateral meaurement slightly less than that of the distance between any two of the splines of a six splined power take-oit shaft 1li, as shown in FIG. 5. Inasmuch as there are three evenly spaced apart pairs of splines 17 and 19, my unit will slide onto a splined power take-oil shaft 11, having eighteen, twentyone, or twenty-four or like splines. By such a construction, my unit will therefore successfully slide into power take-off shafts having a numberof splines divisible by three. This means that my unit is substantially universal in successfully fitting most all power take-olf shafts now found on tractors.

' The next feature of my device yis the simple but positive mechanism for locking -it int-o a power take-olir Ashaft against accidental detachment. On the outer side of the member 16 is a block stop 20. To the rear of this block stop 2t) are two `rings 21 and 22. Each of `these rings is of two split parts so that they maybe rotatably placed around the rear portionof the member 16. "The numeral 23 designates a ring rotatably mounted around the forward end portion of the member `16 and forward of the block stop 20; These rings 21, 22, and 23 are rigidly connected together by bolt means 25, with each bolt means having a spacing tube 26 between the plate 22 and 23 as .shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2; Around one or these l tubes 26 is a cylindrical roller 27. The rotation of the ring assembly is limited in rotation counter-clockwise,` as viewed in FIG. 2', by one of the bolt means and spacing` tubes coming into contact with the block stop. In the side of the member V16 and transversely ofits longitudinal length I have a slot opening 29 communicating with the power take-olf shaft and its groove 12. The numeral 30 designates a jaw member movable in the slot 29 and having one end hinged on a pin 31 of `thejblock stop as shown in FIG. 2. The substantial length ofthe jaw member is curvedbothas to itsinner side and. itsouter side; Its curved inner side, when it is moved toward the power take-off shaft will move into and engage `the power takeoff shaft groove 12, thus detachably preventing the slidable removal of the unit from the power "take-offshaft.

vide a pin lever 32 that extends'forwardly and outwardly from the `free end of the jaw as shown in FIG. l. When Vthe ring assembly is manually rotated clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, the bolt means audits spacingtube andwhich I have specificallyl indicated by the numeral 33 will ride under this angularly extending pin 32 and thereby raise the jaw 3l) to the dotted line position of'FG. 2, out of the power shaft groove 12, at which time my unit may be slid from the power take-oil shaft. To place myunitinto a` take-olf shaft the ring assembly is rotated clockwise, raising the jaw so that theunit may be slid -onto the splned take-olf shaft. After the unit is placed on the power takeoff shaft, the ring assembly is released and when it rotates counter-clockwise, the bolt means 33 will clear the pin 32. and the jaw will automatically move inwardly and engage the peripheral notch 12 of the power take-ott shaft. This automatic return of the ring assembly and jiaw is actuated by a coil spring 35 having one end secured to the bolt means 33 and its other end secured to the cylinder or collar 16, as shown in FIG. 2 for yieldingly rotating and biasing the ring assembly to the normal position shown in full lines in FlG. 2; The jaw, of cour-se, must be maintained in an effective inner position of movement, i.e., in i the groove 12 to successfully hold the unit from accidental detachment from the power take-off shaft. This is accomplished by the roller 27, which when the ring assembly is in its normal, locked position, presses against the curved top of the jaw thereby forcing and holding the jaw inwardly. This roller must, however, in some way clear the jaw when the ring assembly is rotated to bring the bolt means 33 under and to raise the pin 32. I accomplish this by providing a depression 36 in the top of the jaw 30, so that as the ring assembly is rotated clockwise against the yielding action of the coil spring, the roller 27 will reach the vicinity of the depression 36, thereby permitting the raising of the jaw from contact' with the groove 12.

A cylindrical housing is secured around the ring assembly and its outer surface may be knurled or like to make for easy manual gripping. This hou-sing may be secured to the outer peripheries of the rings by any suitable means and, if desired, may be detachable or permanently affixed.

As before indicated, my collar member will fit power take-off shafts having different numbers of splines. As an illustration, FIG. 6 shows a power take-off splined shaft 39 having twenty-one splines. Perhaps the two most popular type power take-off splines is the six splined shaft shown in FIG. and the twenty-one splined shaft shown in FIG. 6.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement lof my coupling without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination, a stub power take-off splined shaft having a peripheral groove, a cylindrical member having internal splines, and slidably detachably embracing said power take-01T shaft, a slot in said cylindrical member, an arcular bar having one end hinged in said slot and capable of being moved to a position of engagement with the peripheral groove of said power take-off shaft, a ring assembly rotatably mounted around said cylindrical member, an outwardly and forwardly extending pin on the free end of said arcular bar, a member on said ring assembly capable of engaging the under side of said pin and raising Y said arcular bar when said ring assembly is rotated in one direction, and a member on said ring assembly capable of assuming a locking. position over said arcular bar when said ringassembly is rotated Vin the opposite direction.

2. In combination, a stub power take-off splined shaft having a peripheral groove, a cylindrical member having internal splines, and slidably detachably embracing said power take-off shaft, a slot in said cylindrical member, an arcular bar having one end hinged in said slot and capable of being moved to a position of engagement with the peripheral groove of said power take-off shaft, a ring assembly rotatably mounted around said cylindrical member, an outwardly and forwardly extending pin on the free end of saidarcular bar, a member on said ring assembly capable of engaging the under side of said pin and raising said arcular bar when said ring assembly is rotated in one direction, and a roller member on said ring assembly capable of assuming a locking position over said arcular bar when said ring assembly is rotated in the opposite direction.

3. In combination, a stub power take-olf splined shaft having a peripheral groove, a cylindrical member having internal splines, and slidably detachably embracing said power take-off shaft, a slot in said cylindrical member, an arcular bar having one end hinged in said slot and capable of being moved to a position of engagement with the peripheral groove of said power take-off shaft, a ring assembly rotatably mounted around said cylindrical member, an outwardly and forwardly extending pin on the free end of said arcular bar, a member on said ring assembly capable of engaging the under side of said pin and raising said arcular bar when said ring assembly is rotated in one direction, a roller member on said ring assembly capable of assuming a locking position over said arcular bar when said ring assembly is rotated in the opposite di-V rection, and a receiving notch in said arcular bar for said roller member when said arcular bar yis raised.

4. In a coupling, a circular shaft having at least a plurality of external splines of equal arcuate length, and with a rst arcuate space therebetween of an arcuate length equal to the arcuate length of one of said splines, a cylindrical member having at lea-st a pair of internal splines, said internal splines being of equal arcuate length and having an arcuate space therebetween of a length equal t0 the arcuate length of one of said internal splines, the overall arcuate length of said pair of internal splines and the space therebetween being slightly less than said rst arcuate space.

5. In combination, an externally splined power take-off shaft having a circular groove extending transversely to its longitudinal axis about its outer periphery and inter# secting the splines thereof, a cylindrical member mounted on said shaft and having internal splines which embrace and mate with the splines of said shaft, a transverse slot in said cylindrical member and intersecting the inner periphery thereof, an arcuate rigid key pivotally secured by one of its ends to said cylindrical member and lying within said slot, said key member having an inner elongated arcuate portion of such length and with a radius equal to that of said circular groove that it engages an elongated segment of the peripherial surface of said groove and intersects at least a plurality of shaft splines, and key actuating means rotatably mounted around said cylindrical member and engageable with the key member in eitherl direction of rotation thereof to pivot the key member into and out of engagement with said groove.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 691,759 1/02 George et al 287-2 1,634,422 7/27 Holmes 279-107 X 2,012,280 8/35 Johansen 279-35 2,374,244 4/45 Standish 287-53 X 2,448,278 8/48 Ronning 287-52 2,691,899 10/54 Brown. 2,885,231 5/59 Smith 287-53 2,926,034 2/60 Weaver 287-53V 2,948,559 8/60 Recker.

3,100,661 8/63 Knight 287-119 FOREIGN PATENTS 430,713 6/ 35 Great Britain.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

r WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiner. 

4. IN A COUPLING, A CIRCULAR SHAFT HAVING AT LEAST A PLURALITY OF EXTERNAL SPLINES OF EQUAL ARCUATE LENGTH, AND WITH A FIRST ARCUATE SPACE THEREBETWEEN OF AN ARCUATE LENGTH EQUAL TO THE ARCUATE LENGTH OF ONE OF SAID SPLINES, A CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST A PAIR OF INTERNAL SPLINES, SAID INTERNAL SPLINES BEING OF EQUAL ARCUATE LENGTH AND HAVING AN ARCUATE SPACE THEREBETWEEN OF A LENGTH EQUAL TO THE ARCUATE LENGTH OF ONE OF SAID INTERNAL SPLINES, THE OVERALL ARCUATE LENGTH OF SAID PAIR OF INTERNAL SPLINES AND THE 